


Outdoorsman

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-06-18
Updated: 2006-06-18
Packaged: 2019-05-15 14:04:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14791922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: AU. I was asked to write a story for my short stories elective and I couldn't get the line "I'm an outdoorsman!" out of my head. This is what resulted.





	Outdoorsman

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

  
Author's notes: These characters don't belong to me. I do not make a profit from this.  


* * *

The sun was just beginning to set as they pulled into their campsite. One flat tire and three “detours” later, they had finally made it. Getting out of the car, Josh stretched his arms over his head, yawned, and exclaimed, “I love the outdoors!”

“Yep.” Donna said, merely acknowledging his presence without actually listening to what he was saying. After twelve years of marriage, she hardly listened to anything Josh said anymore. 

“Everyone in the city should have to take a trip out here to fully be able to appreciate the outdoors.” Josh paused for a second to look at the expression on his wife’s face, she looked passive enough so he continued. “I’m an outdoorsman.” Donna rolled her eyes, remembering times in years past when he made the same claim. 

“Daddy, I’m hungry.” Josh heard a voice say from behind him. He turned to see his five-year old daughter, scratching at the newly acquired bug bites on her arms and legs. 

“Me, too.” His son agreed, following the little girl out of the car. 

“Josh, maybe we should set up camp so that we could get dinner going.” Donna suggested, wrapping her arms around Josh’s waist for warmth as the air became cooler with the disappearing sun.

“Right!” Josh said. Donna watched him with impatience as he fumbled clumsily while taking their gear out of the car.

“I thought you said you’d done this before.” Donna said, sighing loudly with exasperation. 

“I have! I told you, I’m an outdoorsman.” He defended with a grin in her direction, evoking stifled giggles from his children. 

“Whatever you say.” Donna said, throwing her hands in the air in acquiescence. “While you’re being an ‘outdoorsman’, I’m going to try and start a fire so that I can make dinner for our children.” 

When Josh finally finished unloading the gear from the car, he turned to see Donna attempting to start a fire by dousing a pile of sticks with lighter fluid. “Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Josh said, reaching to take the lighter fluid from her hand, “No flammable liquids of any kind are used to light a fire in the real outdoors, ever.”

“Tell me then,” she said, crossing her arms across her chest, “how am I supposed to light a fire?” 

“Like this.” He said reaching for a box of wooden matches, “I’ll show you.”

First, ten minutes passed. Then, close to a half-hour and still no fire. “Dad, I’m hungry.” His son said from a nearby rock.

“Fire will be lit soon. I promise.” He said with a smile in his son’s direction. Turning to the fire again, he stared at the pile of logs that he had haphazardly stacked and was now attempting to light on fire. “I think I know what the problem is!” 

“You don’t know how to start a fire?” Donna suggested.

“No.” He corrected “I think this is cedar. Cedar is a wet wood. I think that’s the problem. I think we need some dry wood.” He was babbling.

“Josh—“ Donna began. 

“Or some dry leaves. We need to gather some dry leaves.” He continued, completely ignoring her. “Kids, come with daddy. We’re going to go get some leaves to start a fire.”

“No, I think your children need something to eat.” Donna said, taking control of a situation that was starting to spin out of control. “We passed a TGI Fridays about ten miles outside of here. I am taking your children and we are going to get something to eat.” With that, she started shuffling her children back into the car as she was taking the keys from Josh’s pocket.

“But—“ He began.

“I’m sure you’ll be fine.” She said out the window as she turned the car on. “You’re an outdoorsman. Remember?” With that, she put the car into gear and drove away.

Josh stood there for a minute and then turned back to the pile of logs he had been that he had still failed to light. Pouring the lighter fluid on them, he took the matches and once again lit them on fire. So much for being an outdoorsman.


End file.
